Some people wake up before the sun looks over the horizon, runs and has a hearty breakfast, all before many others roll out of bed. Waking up so early might seem exhausting to those who get up late, but can an owl become an early bird?
It’s possible to make the change, but it’s not easy, said Michelle Drerup, director of sleep behavior medicine at Cleveland Clinic. “A real night owl doesn’t feel very good when they wake up, especially when they start to change that.”
A person’s tendency to be a night owl, an early bird or a place between them is known as their chronotype. Depending on their chronotype, people are likely to be more alert and alert at certain times of the day and more sleepy during others.
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The chronotype is determined by a combination of nature and food, scientists have discovered. From a natural point of view, a number of genes are known to play a role in determining whether a person prefers to be awake late at night or early in the morning, Drerup told Live Science.
Hundreds of genes are associated with being a morning person, according to a 2019 study published in the journal Communications about nature. These genes influence a person’s circadian rhythm or their natural sleep-wake cycle, which leads to their chronotype.
The environment also plays an important role. People tend to participate in daily activities that strengthen their chronotype, Drerup said. For example, night owls feel more productive and alert at night, so they tend to move and socialize in the evening. These activities stimulate and strengthen the person’s tendency to stay up late.
Because the environment is a factor in determining whether a person is a night owl or a morning owl, it is possible to change your sleep-wake cycle. If you want to wake up earlier, make the change gradually. Drerup recommended that you slowly change the wake-up alarm 15 to 20 minutes earlier every few days for a few weeks, until you are adapted to the ideal schedule.
Consistency is essential. “Here, many times, night owls will fight,” Drerup said. “They will start to adjust as the work week goes on, then they will stay awake until they sleep at the weekend. They lose that momentum that they started to develop at the end of the work week.”
Limit exposure to light in the hour before bedtime, such as sitting away from screens, Drerup said. Light blocks the production of melatonin in the body, a hormone that regulates circadian rhythms. On the other hand, try to expose yourself to light as soon as you wake up to stop melatonin production.
Avoid stimulating activities late at night. Instead of exercising at night, try to train in the morning or in the afternoon. You may also need to change your meal times earlier in the day.
If being a night owl works for you, there is no reason to change your sleep schedule. But staying awake until it becomes a problem when you have to wake up early for work and school. This can lead to sleep deprivation, which can severely affect your health, such as an increased risk of high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
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This article was originally published by Live Science. read Original article Here.